Middletown OKs Plan To Address Increasing Mental Health Needs At High School

Middletown school board approves hiring four new staff to address mental health needs

MIDDLETOWN — School administrators say there is an urgent need for a new alternative education program at the high school because there is a high number of students in need of mental health services.

Middletown High School Principal Colleen Weiner told the board of education at its Nov. 23 meeting that there has been an increase this year in the number of referrals to special education programs, mostly for emotional or mental health needs rather than academics.

"What I'm seeing this year in particular is the uptick in the amount of students returning to us from hospitalization," Weiner said. "Clearly there are needs that can't be addressed through academic intervention."

Superintendent Patricia Charles said the burden on the high school this year is unexpected, leaving the school system scrambling to find enough space and resources to accommodate students.

The school board at its meeting Tuesday approved hiring two tutors, another psychologist and a dean of students for the high school to give more individual attention to students who need it.

About 120 students are "in need of intervention" for a variety of reasons, she said. They may be withdrawn, emotionally unstable or highly anxious.

"Students who are new to treatment also need the chance to adjust in a smaller supportive setting as they acclimate back to a large high school such as Middletown High School," Charles said in an email.

The schools will also lean on the Community Health Center, which will provide an extra psychiatrist and an extra behavioral health specialist to its school-based health center at Middletown High School at no added cost to the school board.

Charles said the new hires would cost the district $134,000 for the rest of the school year. Money will be taken from other funds in the school budget.

Hiring the two tutors, Charles said, would allow the current alternative education program teacher to focus on about 10 students who are most in need of attention. The tutors will help with students who need a lower level of direct support.

"We need to work, of course, within the budget we have now," Charles said. "We're trying to expand our specialized offerings in a cost-effective way."

She said the dean of students would complement administrators at the high school by offering administrative support when other staff are dealing with student issues.

"When kids are in crisis it's a full-time oversight issue," she said, requiring immediate attention from any available administrator who then may not be able to handle other duties, like hallway monitoring or classroom evaluations.

Officials said the short-term help at the high school would help, but a long-term plan must still be developed.

"I believe it's going to take the edge off. It's not going to meet 100 percent of the need," said Ann Perzan, director of pupil services and special education.

Board Vice Chairwoman Sheila Daniels said the board must form a plan to address mental health needs of the district for the future.

"We really need to be addressing this issue in layers," Daniels said. "We're seeing these problems now at the high school but we need to be reaching them when they're young."